Roman amphitheatres
Roman amphitheatres are theatres — large, circular or oval open-air venues with tiered seating — built by the ancient Romans. They were used for events such as gladiator combats, venationes (animal slayings) and executions. (wiki)
Connected Sites
| Site | Rationale | Link |
| Amphitheater of El Jem | Roman amphitheatre | |
| Aquileia | Roman amphitheatre | |
| Arles | Arles Amphitheatre | |
| Assisi | "the remains of the ancient amphitheatre" (AB Ev) – Roman amphitheatre: dating back to the first half of the 1st century AD, it is located at the end of the piazza Matteotti, outside the ancient city walls. (Nomination file, p. 43) | |
| Bordeaux | "antique amphitheatre, the Palais Gallien (Gallien Palace)" (AB) | |
| Bosra | Roman amphitheatre | |
| Carthage | Roman amphitheatre | |
| Caves of Maresha and Bet Guvrin | The Roman Amphitheater: This amphitheater was originally intended for gladiator fights to entertain the masses (off website) | |
| Cilento and Vallo di Diano | Paestum: Roman amphitheatre | |
| Cyrene | Roman Amphiteatre | |
| Dacian Limes | At Porolissum: "The amphitheatre, with 5000-5500 seats, was built as a wood structure during the reign of Hadrian. In 157 AD it was rebuilt in stone" (wiki) | |
| Danube Limes | A wooden amphitheatre was found in Künzing (ID No 8). In Carnuntum (ID No 31), an "amphitheater preserved in the area which was built in the 70ies of the 1st century is (...) part of the cannabae". "The amphitheater of the civilian city is found in the southern part of the city, and has been reconstructed several times after it was built in 2nd century AD." (Nomination file, p. 65, 78-79) Amphitheatre I in Carnuntum served primarily as a weapons training ground for the legionaries. However, gladiator fights (munera) and show hunts (venationes) also took place there, probably also games arranged especially for the troops. | |
| Leptis Magna | Roman amphitheatre | |
| Lower German Limes | "Archaeological remains in the property include (...) an amphitheatre" (Official description) – At Xanten, an "amphitheatre has been known for much longer here, and amphitheatres are known from extramural settlements elsewhere." (Nomination file, p. 55) | |
| Lyon | Roman amphitheatre | |
| Mérida | Roman amphitheatre | |
| Nice | Roman amphitheatre (Arènes de Cimiez) in the Cimiez quarter, from the 1st century AD. | |
| Padua’s fourteenth-century fresco cycles | "The Scrovegni Chapel stands on a site where one can still see remains of the Roman amphitheatre (known as l'Arena). In fact, various elements of that ancient structure are used by the building: the gabled façade rests on the outline of the amphitheatre's external elliptical wall, and the side walls of the chapel seem to be traced along the radial walls that were part of it." (Nomination file, p. 50) | |
| Pompei | Roman amphitheatre ("Built in 70AD, Pompeii's amphitheatre is the oldest and most complete pre-Colosseum style amphitheatre in the Roman world.") | |
| Rome | Roman amphitheatre: Colosseum, Castrense Amphiteatre | |
| Syracuse | Roman amphitheatre | |
| Tarraco | Roman amphitheatre | |
| Tauric Chersonese | Roman amphitheatre | |
| Tipasa | Roman amphitheatre | |
| Trier | Roman amphitheatre | |
| Verona | Roman amphitheatre | |
| Via Appia | Amphitheatre of Capua |
Suggestions?
Do you know of another WHS we could connect to Roman amphitheatres?
A connection should:
- Not be "self evident"
- Link at least 3 different sites
- Not duplicate or merely subdivide the "Category" assignment already identified on this site.
- Add some knowledge or insight (whether significant or trivial!) about WHS for the users of this site
- Be explained, with reference to a source